Even though summer’s here, people all over the world are feeling that summertime sadness as the coronavirus pandemic still rages on. With all the uncertainties in place, many people’s dreams of an epic summer getaway have been crushed.
But where there is a will, there is a way. Many industries have gone digital so people can enjoy familiar amenities from the comfort of their own home, and the travel and tourism industry is no exception.
Here are some resources for you to have a perfect virtual getaway, all from the comfort of your own home.
CritiArt puts the “art” in art gallery visit
Looking for a digital art gallery experience that’s more than just paging through pictures on gallery websites? CritiArt has got you covered.
CritiArt acts as an alternative virtual space for artists, curators, critics, and art lovers in general, to promote their art and explore a variety of other pieces in a digital space.
Through the use of 3D modeling and augmented reality technology, the platform offers a variety of opportunities for people to see art in a digital art gallery.
Even before the COVID-19 crisis, CritiArt has been committed to giving people the chance to explore art without having to worry about time and their location. Now when people are mostly restricted to their homes, the exhibitions the platform offers are a great way to get that immersive art gallery experience.
Its current digital exhibit, Unity, is also an astounding reflection of current social events. A diverse collection of 13 artists from three different continents have come together to channel their collective anxiety, varied experiences, and seek to help transform artistic expression beyond the status quo.
Drawing inspiration from Carl Jung’s concept of the “collective unconscious,” the exhibit attempts to speak to people’s deeper human nature and spark more dialogue on diversity and the current social climate.
CritiArt’s “Unity” exhibit can be found here, and you can also learn more about the organization on their website.
Travel through time with the British Museum’s collection of artifacts
The British Museum in London has one of the largest and most comprehensive collections in history, and it was among the first public national museums in the world.
If your trip to London is on hold due to the pandemic, or you just don’t have the time to go to England in general, don’t worry. You can now view the museum’s vast collection online in a new immersive virtual experience.
The museum’s online collection is neatly organized by continent, time period, and subject matter. You can also jump around on the interactive graphic the website offers so you can travel through time at your own pace.
Looking for ancient Chinese, Japanese, or Korean pottery? They’ve got it.
Viking weapons and artifacts? Therefor the pillaging, or rather, virtual sightseeing. The famed Rosetta Stone? Yep, it’s online too.
Check out the virtual tour here and see for yourself.
Take that special trip to Disneyworld you’ve always wanted
Thought that dream vacation to Disneyworld was canceled? Think again. Even before the pandemic started, the amusement park recorded a multitude of its rides and posted them on its official YouTube channel.
These also aren’t your standard recordings. They’re filmed with a special 360-degree camera that allows for a full range of movement the viewer can control throughout the whole experience.
From classics like Splash Mountain…
Pirates of the Caribbean…
Epcot…
And even the new Star Wars section of the park; you can still get your magical experience from the Magic Kingdom itself with a whole variety of videos.
And we can’t forget the famous Disney fireworks of course.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5bN5b11H4_s
Journey through the savannah on an amazing safari
If you’re worried about being able to get a safari experience off your bucket list right now, there’s no need to fret. You can still have a special trip through the wild savannah and see a variety of awesome animals.
Safari companies such as Longleat Safari and Adventure Park, as well as the luxury experiential travel company &BEYOND, are offering virtual safaris on YouTube.
Longleat Safari and Adventure Park is based in Wiltshire, England. Just because it’s not in Africa doesn’t mean you can’t get an enriching safari experience.
They have a variety of animals on their grounds including ostriches, giraffes, lions, tigers, cheetahs, and many more.
People can see these incredible animals up-close through their three-part Virtual Longleat Safari series on YouTube. People can also check out more videos from them on their official YouTube channel. They also feature content on Twitter and Instagram.
If you want to take a direct digital journey to the African savannah however, &BEYOND’s livestreamed safari drives are what you’re looking for.
These take place in a variety of South African nature preserves including &BEYOND Ngala Private Game Reserve, &BEYOND Phinda Private Game Reserve, Djuma Private Game Reserve, and Tswalu and Pridelands Conservancy.
What makes these special is that they’re just like being in a real-life safari with the company. That’s because they don’t just have one or two videos for people to imagine a safari experience.
They do two three-hour drives through the savannah every day. Every safari drive, one in the morning and one in the evening, is livestreamed daily and posted onto &BEYOND’s official YouTube channel.
Since they’re livestreamed directly from South Africa, the safaris take place at 12:30am-3:30 A.M. and 9:00 A.M.-12:00 P.M. EST. If you can’t catch them on time to watch the livestream though, don’t worry, the videos are still posted on their YouTube channel.
During the livestream, viewers can also ask the guide questions in the live chat, or on their Twitter using the hashtag #WildEarth.
Welcome to WILDwatch Live! Join our expert #andBeyondTravel guides as they bring the game drive magic LIVE to your living room, from Ngala Private Game Reserve, in concert with #WildEarth on Djuma Private Game Reserve, South Africa https://t.co/LFRyeT7ydz
— andBeyond (@andbeyondtravel) July 1, 2020
Check out &Beyond‘s YouTube channel, Twitter, Instagram and official website here to get started on your own safari experience.
A whole new digital world
Even though the coronavirus pandemic has disrupted many people’s vacations and travel plans, that doesn’t mean they have to be ruined completely.
Like many industries, tourism companies are also making the shift to the digital front, so people can still access the ability to travel from the comfort of their homes.
Maybe you can’t set foot into a famous art gallery or museum just yet, or maybe that trip of a lifetime can’t quite go on right now.
That doesn’t mean your summer staycation needs to be boring by any means. With a bit of technology and creativity, you can still have that perfect summer (virtual) vacation.